Monday, November 28, 2016

This highly imaginative South African based rave/rap group formed in CapeTown in 2008. Die Antwoord's music, videos, look, and persona are based on a movement known as "Zef" in South Africa which incorporates elements of the work of photographer Roger Ballen. Their name is Afrikaans for "The Answer". Many of the of the off the wall props and art work which appear in their videos were created by their ardent fan base. They have described their work as "documentary fiction" and "exaggerated experience" designed for shock value as these over the top video clearly demonstrate. Hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Sunday, November 27, 2016

This Chicago-based band released one excellent album "Up From The
Sewers" in 1971. It is a politically charged album that was put together in response to
the Kent State massacre in Ohio. The band, led by guitarist/vocalist and songwriter Howard Berkman, lasted for just a brief time but played at the first Earth Day concert in Chicago. The songs lyrics seem oddly topical.

Cohen specified, notably in a BBC interview,
that the song was about encountering Suzanne Verdal, the then wife of
sculptor Armand Vaillancourt, in a Montreal setting. Indeed, many lines
describe different elements of the city, including its river (the Saint
Lawrence) and a little chapel near the harbour, called
Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours (literally Our Lady of Good Help), which sits
on the side of the harbour that faces the rising sun in the morning, as
it is described in the song.

Suzanne Verdal was interviewed by
CBC News's The National in 2006 about the song. Verdal claims that she
and Cohen never had sexual relations, contrary to what some
interpretations of the song suggest. Cohen himself stated in a 1994 BBC
interview that he only imagined having sex with her, as there was
neither the opportunity nor inclination to actually go through with it.
She says she has met Cohen twice since the song's initial popularity;
once after a concert Cohen performed in the 1970s and once in passing in
the 1990s when she danced for him, but Cohen did not speak to her (and
possibly did not recognise her).

In any case, its lyrics first
appeared as the poem "Suzanne Takes You Down" in Cohen's 1966 book of
poetry Parasites of Heaven, admittedly because of lack of new material
(lyrics to a few other songs from his subsequent 1967 debut album were
also printed in the book).

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Arthur Lee's first known recording (1963). The Ninth Wave was released by his first band, the instrumental outfit called The LAGs, a Booker T & The MG's type of unit which included Johnny Echols(future co-founder, guitarist and vocalist of Love), Lee (organ), Allan Talbert (saxophone) and Roland Davis (drums).

Thane Russal was a Rolling Sones discovery and entourage member. He was a big hit in Italy and Australia but never caught on in the U.S. and U.K markets. This great Otis Redding cover (one of only 10 songs Russal ever recorded) was produced by Paul Francis Gadd aka Paul Raven, best known as Gary Glitter. Guitars: Big Jim Sullivan & Jimmy Page. Bass: John Paul Jones. Drums: Bobby Graham.﻿

Seasick Steve with Dan Magnusson and John Paul Jones at iTunes Festival, Roundhouse, Camden. 2nd July 2011. Well worth checking out some of his other amazing live videos playing his home made instruments.

Sunday, October 9, 2016

Wade through when you have the time...some really cool stuff here....Recommend "Love in Disguise" at around the 51 minute mark and "Wailing Wall" which follows shortly after. Great renditions of "Mammon" and "Fascist Christ" are also well worth checking out beginning at around 1:05. "Bag Lady" is an amazing piece!

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Maitreya Kali a.k.a. Craig Smith recorded this song circa 1970. He
included it on his Inca LP, a small number of which were pressed in
1972, as a double album paired with Apache.

For more info see the book
Swim Through the Darkness: My Search for Craig Smith and the Mystery of
Maitreya Kali by Mike Stax. Published September 16, 2016 by Process
Media. Mike began his quest to solve the mystery of Craig Smith in 2001. It took him 15 years to unravel and document the mystery. I highly recommend this outstanding book!!